Summoned
by Youllneverguess13
Summary: In a desperate attempt to save their world, the Order decides to take a risk. They decide to summon a hero from another universe, one who might be able to succeed and save their world where they themselves had failed. Who else could be up to the task but one Harry Potter? No slash; Blatantly AU; Spoilers for all books
1. Chapter 1: Summoned

Disclaimer: All characters etc. belong to JK Rowling not me.

Silence echoes around the room as the man, more a of a boy really, lands on the table with a resounding crack. Every eye on the room, and most of the wands too, were trained on the still body, ready to to attack at the slightest provocation. It was a fifty-fifty shot they had been told. And even though they had gone through with it, agreed to take the chance, they honestly didn't expect it to work in their favor. They all knew and accepted the harsh realities of life. Even that didn't stop their hearts from sagging as this new hope that had made them feel just slightest bit lighter burst like the fragile bubble that it was. For there was no way that this boy was who they were looking for. They were looking for a savior, someone to solve their problems that they could not longer face. That, or another Dark Lord destined only to add to their problems. But this boy could be neither and watching his unconscious form lying there, Sirius felt the last bit of hope drift away and watched it dissolve into the air as if it was a tangible thing. It was done. They had gambled and lost and now it was time to pay up.

Harry laid still, listening to the growing sound of voices, forcing his muscles to remain relaxed when they wanted to tense in anticipation. Careful to keep his breathing even, he allowed his surroundings to wash over his senses, trying to figure out where he was; trying to figure out what had happened. Then he tried again becuase what he was hearing simply could not be true. He was sure he just heard Dumbledores' gentle voice rising above a clamoring of other voices. His heart gave a desperate twinge as he heard something akin to Sirius's gruff tones drifting between the other sounds. _No no no,_ Harry told himself firmly, barely repressing the urge to shake his head in denial. This was not happening, it wasn't real. No matter what he heard it was real. It was another vision, another night terror, some elaborate death eater attack. _Hell, maybe I had actually cracked,_ he thought with grim good humor, _I mean, no one actually knows the long term side-effects of the killing curse seeing as no one else had ever been alive to suffer them. Maybe there was a delayed reaction thing._ Pushing away his morbid and confusing thoughts Harry once more turned his attention to voices around him, this time focusing less on who was saying what but rather the words that the impossible voices were uttering.

"Look, we must've done the spell wrong, got the wrong person."

"No, we couldn't have—"

"Sure we could have! We don't know a damn thing that's going on here, we could have done anything!"

"Let's everyone just calm down. At the very least we should get our guest settled into more comfortable accommodations and perhaps wait for him to answer our questions before jumping to any conclusions just yet." Harry listened as Dumbledore - no, the person-who-sounds-like-Dumbledore-but-isn't softly reign back in the barrage of voices and take control of the situation. Listening to the voices, trying to gather more information as to what was going on, Harry missed the gentle footsteps that had drawn closer to where he laid and was as such unprepared when cool hands brushed against his arms, attempting to slip under his back, presumably to take him to "more comfortable accommodations." Before the hands could do more than glance against his skin though, Harry had launched himself into a standing position, wand pointed at the attacker shield in place, hex ready on his lips. Silence fell across the room as those closest to Harry were pushed back by the strength of his shield, several falling to the ground in surprise. Harry's breath came in carefully measured gasps in a desperate attempt to keep his growing panic at bay as he surveyed the scene around him. _Maybe I died._ He thought suddenly, for everyone around him, he had seen die. There was Dumbledore, Moody, Tonks, Remus, Sirius, Madame Bones, the list went on and on as his eyes continued to scan the room, analyzing the threats as they came up. He had to admit it was rather disconcerting having those he considered his family pointing their wands at him but he didn't have it in him to be angry. It helped him ground himself for he knew that his Sirius, and Dumbledore, and Moody, and Remus, and Tonks would never point their wands at him like that. They would never have the look of nervous curiosity on their face, wariness engrained into their stances as they studied him like he was a new animal on display at the zoo. No. These people were not his family.

Harry felt his shoulders straighten and his back uncurl as he settled back into a more balanced position. He wouldn't start cursing if they didn't but neither would he trust them. Harry knew not if this was some kind of prank gone wrong or an elaborate trap set about by the remaining death eaters, but he was determined to be prepared either way. Neither of those theories really struck Harry as plausible though, so even as he adjusted his wand more comfortably in his hand, his mind continued to try and come up with other possible explanations. _Time travel? Maybe, but no one seemed younger than they should be…_ His musings were interrupted as the Dumbledore look-alike stepped towards Harry slowly, as if he were a dangerous animal that had stumbled into their dining room. And a dining room it was, one that was painfully familiar, overflowing with grim memories. It was a dining room marked by the dour colors, deep shadows and darker memories.

"Who are you?" Dumbledore's voice was harsh and suspicious and Harry felt an eyebrow go up involuntarily in his surprise. _What was going on? Why didn't Dumbledore know his name?_ Making a quick decision, Harry decided to not give out too much information before he knew what was going on. If one thing had made it through his thick head these past few years it was be careful who you trust for nobody is ever as they first appear; everyone has secrets.

"Harry…" he said carefully, watching the reactions of the others in the room. No one seemed to recognize the name and Harry felt himself getting even more confused. _Just what the hell was going on here?_

"Do you have a last name to go along with that?" The man who looked like Sirius inquired sarcastically.

Instead of answering Harry keeps his attention focused on Dumbledore. "What's your favorite flavor of jam?" Harry asked abruptly.

If Dumbledore was perplexed the question it didn't show in his face he simply regarded Harry with a searching look before answering in a measured tone, "Raspberry, but my boy, why ever would you want to know that?" Harry simply shook his head, a headache brewing behind his eyes from the stress of maintaining the shield as well as trying to keep everyone in his sights.

"Look." He snapped instead of answering, the pain getting the best of him, "Can't someone tell me what is going on here?" Despite his calming breaths, Harry gelt anger growing in his chest, fighting for space with the panic that was already nesting near his racing heart.

At his question the people looked at one another, suddenly looking rather sheepish. Again Dumbledore was the first one to speak. "Maybe we should all put our wands away so we can figure out what's going on here." Harry warily watched as those in the room hesitantly put away their wands, although their hands never strayed far from their hiding places. Harry could practically feel their fingers itching to hold the polished wood once more. Still cautious, despite the fact the immediate danger had lessened somewhat, Harry lessened his shield but did not drop it completely and although his wand dropped to his side as he slowly made his way over to table where he had woken up, it did not leave his hand. He may be an idiot but even he was not that stupid. He sat down at the table, arching an eyebrow as an expectant silence filled the room. No one spoke as they sat and stared at one another, no one wanted to be the one who broke the silence. Despite his unease, Harry carefully schooled his face to a blank mask and slowly gazed around the room, content to wait as long as it took. First impressions mattered and he sure as hell wasn't going to let these people push him around. Not again.

Harry jumped ever so slightly as a throat was cleared from the corner of the table and Harry found himself looking into the care worn face of Remus. The face he last seen in the great hall, pale and waxy, with blue tinged lips as sobs echoed throughout the great hall. Harry squeezed his eyes shut quickly, desperately trying to drown the memories in the darkness, forcing his expression back to one of bored casualness before once more looking at Remus, ignoring the stabbing pain shooting through his heart.

"Well… You see, we sort of brought you here. Into a different world that is," Remus began, ignoring the glares being sent his way from around the room. "It was supposed to, well, I don't know how much you know from your world but we are at war here. A war against a powerful dark wizard and we used a spell that was supposed to send us someone who could help. But, it obviously went wrong and sent us you instead."

Despite his previous resolution to not give away more information than he had to Harry was helpless to stop the question that fell off his lips before his brain could catch up.

"You mean Voldemort is alive?"

"Yes." Harry sagged back against the chair as his brain raced to catch up with all the information that had been dumped into his head. Of course Hermione had theorized to him about alternate dimensions, fascinated by the idea due to the mystery that surrounded it in both the muggle and magical world, but he had never really given it much thought. Who the hell would think what would happen if they got transported to an alternate dimension. Only he could have that kind of crappy luck. Even though he remembered little of Hermione's lecture, he did know that he did not have to worry about messing up timelines the way he would if he was sent to a different time, which was a relief. Harry already found himself accepting the idea that he was in a different universe and moving on to other plans that he would need. It spoke to how messed up his life was that even this could hardly faze him.

"Okay…" He began slowly, trying to puzzle out the best way to continue. "Maybe you should tell me what has been going on here." He figured he couldn't help if he didn't know what he did not know what was going on. Whether he was trying to help these people or himself, Harry decided not to examine too closely.

"No bloody way. We don't even know who you are!" That was Sirius again. Harry found himself surpassing a smirk at his reaction. It seemed some things, such as Sirius's hot-headed attitude, transcended worlds. Harry simply cocked an eyebrow at his godfather's rather rude exclamation, avoiding his gaze. He liked his intact thank you very much. Harry debated whether there was any harm in sharing his name as he studiously trained his gaze at a knot in the room across from him. The problem was, he didn't know who was alive here, if there was a prophecy, he didn't know anything and he hated giving away information without knowing the full picture. Searching for some guidance Harry did his best to recall the rather long winded discussion that he and Hermione had shared as she rambled on about alternate universes and such but could bring little to mind. There had seemed little point to paying attention at the time. When would he learn it was always in his best interest to shut up and at least try to follow what Hermione was saying? Sighing, he figured he would just would have to say his name and clean up the mess that it caused after the fact. It wasn't like it was a new concept to him but he felt himself sigh internally in exasperation. Why did this crap always happen to him?

"My name is Harry James Potter."


	2. Chapter 2: They Arrive

A/N: I am brand new to this so please, any reviews or comments, positive or negative it does not matter, are welcome and appreciated! Thank you so much! By the way, I apologize for this chapter, I don't know how good it is as I was suffering from a bit of writers block as I wrote it. Please let me know about any mistakes and I will do my best to fix them as quickly as possible.

 **Chapter 2:**

Whatever possible reaction to his name, Harry's stressed and overworked brain could have possibly thought of, there was no way it could have compared to the real thing. He was used to gasps and expressions of instant awe and stares after his name. He was used to expressions of relief and expectant pauses. He was not used to laughter.

"We know Harry Potter lad, and there is no bloody way you are him." That was a man Harry did not recognize from the other end of the table. "You can't even be the right age. What are you, 14?" Despite himself, Harry felt his pride smart at the mans dismissive tone.

"I am 16." He stated, and then winced as it came out sounding exactly like the sulky teenager they thought him to be. The tension that had filled the room sense his arrival seemed to slowly dissipate from the atmosphere at the proclamation of his name. Apparently Harry Potter wasn't considered a threat. And Harry found himself slightly miffed at the thought. _Am I really so incompetent here that they feel safe enough to simply write me off ? They don't even know if I side with Voldemort or not…_ Harry thought to himself. Even so, he felt himself relax, succumbing to the pain and exhaustion he assumed were caused by traveling across worlds as the adrenaline faded from his system.

The room fell into speculative silence as the disbelieving laughter slowly died out. No one seemed to know what to do next.

"Say you are Harry Potter, why did the spell bring _you_ here?" Tonks question seemed to echo in the otherwise silent room, more a absent musing than an actual request for information. Harry opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by Moody before he could explain.

"We obviously did the spell wrong. The boy must have been sent by mistake. Maybe he had something to do with the resistance in his world?" Here he paused thoughtfully before asking gruffly, "Well boy, did you?" Busy trying to maintain his shield and check his other defensives through the migraine that was forming, Harry missed Moody's rather abrupt question.

"Pardon, could you repeat that?" He asked, rubbing his forehead.

"What side?" Moody exclaimed impatiently. "There obviously was a war for you knew Voldemort by Lupin's description of a 'dark wizard.' So, what side did you fight for?" Tension seemed to build in the room in the few seconds it took Harry's fried brain to process the question.

"I fought for the light." Harry said wearily, eyes still glued to the knot of wood on the far side of the room. He had tried to look elsewhere as Tonks first asked her question, but then he had met Dumbledore's twinkling gaze; the same gaze that had held his as he watched his mentor, his first adult guidance, willingly walk to his death. The same gaze that should have nothing but hatred for the boy that caused his death, yet held nothing but care. That should hold fury at the the boy who caused him to suffer for hours before at last being released into the comfort of death. The gaze that - Harry shook himself gruffly and returned his own eyes back to the knot of wood. The wood was safe. No bad memories there. Unless you count that time…

Harry squeezed his eyes shut, fighting the bile rising in his throat. It was too much. Sitting here. With them. Those who he had watched fight and die. Those he had mourned and grieved for. Those he would have gladly traded places with. He felt his composure begin to slip and felt a sudden need to get out of there; to leave. He needed his friends. Here he was in a different world -literally- and was expected to do something that he had barely managed the first time. And he was supposed to do it all without his friends, that had made it possible in the first place.

With ruthless control Harry shoved back the panic clawing its way up his throat. He could do this. He could. Or, more importantly, he couldn't lose control. Not here. Not now. Opening his eyes he focused on the wood again, letting the voices swarming around him slowly make their way into his consciousness. Harry fought the urge to move his gaze when he heard someone ask the question that was burning a hole as it sat against his own tongue.

"What are we to do now?"

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Remus found himself thinking the same thing. The spell hadn't worked. They may not have summoned a dark lord, but neither had they summoned a hero. Instead, they somehow had managed to get a child. A teen that looked to be about 13, whatever he may claim his age to be. No one made to answer the question for several long seconds before Remus caught Dumbledore shifting slightly in his seat, as if preparing to speak.

Before he could begin however, a faint buzzing filled the room. A glow quickly followed, both gaining strength until there was a blinding light filling the room and banishing all shadows. The ringing grew into a grinding crescendo forcing Remus to cover his sensitive ears, even as he squinted through the light, trying to figure out what was going on. He felt rather than saw Sirius stand up, ready to fight whatever danger this light brought. Following his friends' action, Remus stood, removing his hands from his ears to instead grasp his wand in a sweaty grip. But there was nothing to fight. Simply light and the ever increasing noise.

Suddenly, there was a mighty bang and everything went dark and silent in one terrific second. Temporarily blinded by the sudden darkness, Remus blinked his eyes in rapid succession, trying to restore his sight. With spots still dancing before his eyes, Remus was able to make out four vague forms on the table in front of him, laying over one another as if then had were dolls dropped by a careless child.

Still blinking, Remus moved closer in an attempt to make out a few more details. There seemed to be four people in total, none older than the 16 years that Harry claimed to be. There was a girl with bushy brown hair that instantly brought to mind one of his brightest students, Hermione Granger. The flaming read hair of the boy collapsed next to her immediately made Remus think 'Weasley" before moving on the assess the other children. There was another girl, her head currently resting on the ginger's gangly legs. Her hair was a light blonde that made Remus think of moonlight, the long tresses spilling onto the arm of the fourth boy. This one had dark brown hair and tanned features. His round face called someone to mind but Remus could not place where he had seen it before.

Still pointing his wand at the children, Remus slowly approached the table even closer, following several other order members as they cautiously made their way towards where the newcomers were stirring. As one made to sit up Remus watched Moody fire a stunner at the child, faster than he could even think. It never met it's mark though. The werewolf felt his mouth fall open in shock as a shield materialized in front of those laying on the table, instantly halting Moody's stunner.

Looking around, Remus saw Harry his wand out in front of him, eyes surveying those around him. That child had created a shield, silently the professor in him felt obligated to add, faster than Remus could comprehend. How? Lost in his own questioning thoughts, Remus jumped as Harry's voice broke the silence.

"You guys okay?"

Remus felt his brow wrinkle in confusion. How did Harry know these people? Before he could once more be drowned in his own questions, Remus started as the red head and brunette girl leapt from the table to Harry's side in a startling display of agility, the other two persons only seconds behind them. All four of them had their wands out and trained on the members of the Order of the Phoenix who had surrounded them in their curiosity.

"Where are we?" The brunette asked looking at the faces that surrounded them. Her skin quickly became an unnatural shade of white as she took in those around her. Her wand, however, Remus noted, remained steady and raised, her body tensed and ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"Different universe," was Harry's rather abrupt response.

"Okay…" The brunette said before falling silent once more. Remus could practically hear the gears turning in the girl's brain as she struggled to comprehend what was happening. Her bright eyes danced across the room, once more reminding him of Hermione. Tension filled the room as the silence continued to stretch on, no one moving or lowering their wands, too confused to know if there was danger or not. Despite himself Remus felt drawn to the new comers, including Harry, and, although he could not articulate why, felt that they were not there to harm the order.

"Ahem," Dumbledore began, clearing his throat. "Harry, perhaps you would like to introduce us."

At Dumbledore's words Remus watched as Harry shared a look with the newcomers before responding with a shrug.

"I don't see what it would hurt. This here is Hermione Granger. Next to her is Ron, -er- Ronald Weasley. The other man is Neville Longbottom and the girl with blonde hair is Luna Lovegood. They are from my world." Everyone stared at the kids in shock as Harry introduced them. Remus knew all of the names listed, he had taught them for going on 6 years now and these children looked nothing like those he knew. Although now he looked at them closer, he could see some similarities. Hermione was the easiest, with her clear brown eyes sparkling as she struggled over the problem over her arrival.

Neville also looked similar, although he was far more confident and it showed in the way he carried himself, making him look almost like the timid 6th year he knew and taught.

Ronald, or Ron as he preferred to be called looked very little like the careless jokester he had in his class for the past 6 years. This one looked downright intelligent, and even capable, the way his eyes tracked the movement in the room and his wand was raised and steady in his grip. Remus did not think he could recall a single time his Ron had passed a quarter of the skill this Ron was exuding, simply standing there. The Ron he knew had the ability to mess up the simplest of spells, not necessarily through lack of talent, more through lack of application. Remus would bet that this boy did not share that same struggle.

Standing beside Hermione was the fourth of the duplicate students, Luna Lovegood. Remus was ashamed to find he could honestly call little to mind regarding the girl. All he did was some random statements and random questions asked in the middle of unrelated lectures, along with a distinct feeling of 'weirdness.' Before Remus could turn his attention to the new Harry, whom he still had not had a good chance to compare to the one he knew, the bushy haired girl, Hermione, spoke.

"How did we come to be here Headmaster?"

Starting slightly, Remus was surprised to hear one of the questions swirling around in his mind, and quickly turned his attention to Albus, curious to hear his answer.

"I am not entirely sure my dear. We had called for a someone to help up us with a… certain problem, and got Mr. Potter here. As to why you all are here as well, I have to say I am not sure." Dumbledore answered slowly.

Hermione seemed to process that for a minute, her eyes unfocusing as she slipped deep into thought.

"You used a spell to summon someone who had defeated Voldemort didn't you?" She asked suddenly. Remus felt his mouth once more fall open in shock. How did she guess that? At Albus's confirmative nod she stood up straighter seeming to come to a conclusion. However she did not speak. As the silence continued to stretch on, Remus felt himself begin to fidget under the pressure. It was broken abruptly by a question, not unlike it had been when Harry first awoke. By the same person in fact.

"What in the bloody hell is going on here?" Sirius once again lost control of his tongue, and Remus rolled his eyes in exasperation. Some things would never change.

All eyes shifted to Albus but it was Hermione who answered the question.

"You all called for a hero to defeat Moldywart, who I assume is still at large here right?" Hermione questioned. Remus nodded in conformation, doing his best to hide the snickers that threatened to break through his self control. Few people dared to speak Voldemort's name let alone mock it. Sirius was not alone as he descended into laughter beside Remus as Tonks and several other let loose snickers of their own.

Hermione seemed to allow herself a smirk and nothing else before continuing on. "I thought as much. What you see now is simply the result of your spell. We all killed a piece of Snake-face and so the spell brought us here." Here she paused as if considering something before continuing on with a shrug. "As for why it just brought Harry first, well, I assume its becuase he was the one to actually kill the git." Silence descended as the room once more was shocked into silence. _These five children had defeated Voldemort? The spell had worked? They hadn't summoned a dark lord?_ Questions swirled around in Remus's head as he stared at the people sitting across from him. _How?_ That single word was a burning a whole through Remus's mind and it slipped past his lips before he thought better of it.

"How?" Remus could have slapped himself as he suddenly found his gaze caught but glinting green eyes that were as hard as emeralds. He was becoming as bad as Padfoot, letting his thoughts just wander straight out his mouth.

"None of your bloody business." Harry snapped, earning him a smack from Hermione, much like the mental one Remus had just given himself.

"Manners Harry." She said, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"What Harry meant to say was," the brown haired boy, Neville, interjected with a voice of resigned patience, "Is that we are tired and would greatly appreciate a chance to recover. We are willing to discuss the issue of what you all think we should do, as well as the best steps moving forwards in regards to getting us home, but right now, we to need rest. We may answer your questions later."

No sooner had the words fallen from his tongue than Remus's attention was drawn from Neville back to Harry. The dark-haired boy had slumped against the table with a resounding thump, as his head crashing against the hard wood. Remus jolted from his seat in surprise, and he saw several other members re-draw the wands, that had slowly been lowered throughout the short explanation, at the sudden loud noise. Several members also made to move towards the unconscious child but halted, mid stride for many, as a shield erupted around the teens, literally stopping the potential helpers in their tracks.

"Are his wards still in place?" That was Neville. He was peering at Harry with worry clearly splayed across his face before he caught sight of those around him. Remus watched as all emotion quickly dropped from his face and found himself impressed and slightly unnerved by his display of control. No teenage should be able to control their emotions that well. No _adult_ should be able to so completely hide their feelings.

"Imagine playing poker with him." Sirius's sly whisper startled a snort from Remus, although his eyes never left the drama unfolding in front of him. Poker indeed.

"I don't know. We should probably add a few just in case. I mean, we all thought he was gone, that this was done. It would make sense that he removed them." That was Hermione, whose only sign of worry was a slight crease above her brow, and even then, it could easily be read as one of thought rather than fear.

"We'll just have to put up external ones and hope they work." That was Ron, the first words he had said sense his arrival.

But no one from their group moved, staring at Harry with uncertainty and worry showing through their body langauge and hesitant movements. Remus was still trying to puzzle out what the hell they were talking about with Harry's limp form suddenly began to convulse, spurring the dimension travelers into action.

Remus watched in horrified fascination as Neville and Ron worked together to lower Harry to the ground before he fell there, Luna taking his head into her lap as she sat crossed-legged on the floor. It was obviously a practiced action and each person seemed to know exactly what to do as they tried to make the black-haired boy more comfortable on the ground. Hermione was busy waving her wand in complicated gestures Remus was hard pressed to follow let alone replicate, all the while keeping a steady stream of muttering that he could only assume were spells.

No one, including Remus, was sure how long they stood there, watching the child thrash on the ground but slowly his flailing began to quiet, turning into more shiver like convulsions than all out movement. As his body began to still Remus watched as Harry slowly, and obviously painfully, opened his eyes, gazing blearily around the room as everyone watched his movement in avid curiosity. Remus could practically feel the question on everyone's mind as they watched the newcomers weird actions. 'What was happening?'

"Ron." Harry's voice was guttural and raw and Remus winced at the pain it contained. _What had happened to the boy? Was it a side effect of the summoning spell?_ Remus felt his stomach drop through the floor at the thought. _Had his actions caused the child this much pain?_ The werewolf was jolted from his thoughts at the sound of Harry's rough tones resounding through the otherwise silent room once more.

"He is going to attack. Diagon Alley…" Everyone watched the boy with baited breath, not comprehending the significance of the words but understanding they were important nonetheless. Harry seemed to struggle to control himself, his body never stopping moving, continuing to be wracked with tremors until it looked as if he was vibrating. "2 hours. 47 death eaters. Bomb with added attacks. Focused on statue in middle of - Ahhhh!" Harry was cut off by his own scream of pain as his back arched as his muscles contracted violently. At the sound of the scream, Remus fell all the hair on his body shoot up in alarm, shocked at the agony it contained.

"Sorry. Lost control." Harry's breath came in fast, shallow gasps as he stared up his friends who were leaning over his spot on the floor. Remus felt his mouth fall open at the unneeded apology. This child was apologizing for making that kind of noise? What the hell happened to these kids to make torture like this, for this surely was torture even if Remus wasn't sure how it was happening, become so common place it warranted an _apology_?

"Going to focus on statue in middle of alley. He knows someone was summoned. Pissed. Having torture-fest right now." The last part Harry said with a grim humor that made Remus want to wince.

How could someone joke about what they termed a 'torture-fest?' He may not have had any idea who they were talking about but whoever it was, Remus was sure it was not someone he would care to meet, or one he would joke about lightly. The way they were talking about torture and bombs, and attacks, and death eaters it almost sounded as if they were talking about… No. This child could not be somehow gathering information on Voldemort. No way. Remus's brain refused to accept this explanation for what he was seeing. It simply couldn't be possible. Could it?

"Get out of there mate." That was Ron who, despite of his mask, had worry clear to read through the way he held his body.

"Information," was Harry's grunted response as his body once more arched off the ground in a violent spasm of agony.

"We'll find it some other way," was Ron's firm response. "Get out. Block it out however you need to." The two boys held each other's gaze before Harry looked away, defeated.

"He's almost done anyway." Harry muttered before closing his eyes. His breathing become slower and shallower and Remus felt his own heart speed up as if in compensation, as he watched all the boy's muscles contract as one once more. Luna continued to stroke Harry's sweat soaked brow and Remus could faintly make out the sound of some sort of lullaby she appeared to be singing to him.

Abruptly Harry's body went limp in Luna's lap and Remus felt his own body tense. It looked as if the child was dead. But then he stirred and opened his unfocused eyes once more. Remus let out a sigh of relief he hadn't even realized he was holding and slumped back into his chair. It appeared It was over. Whatever _It_ was.


	3. Chapter 3: Stuck

A/N: Thank you so much for everyone who reviewed or favorited or followed this story! Words honestly cannot describe how much it means to me. Please share any critiques or comments you have, whether they are good or bad it does not matter. I am always willing to learn and grow, both by figuring out what works and what doesn't. Thank you guys again! Let me know what you all think!

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 **Chapter 3: Stuck**

"You all right mate?" Harry opened his eyes to see Ron's concerned face swimming before him.

"Never better." Harry muttered gruffly, slowly and painfully pushing himself into a sitting position, until he was leaning back against Luna. "Thanks," he said softly, twisting to meet the girl's soft gaze.

"Thought can hurt even without the power of wand," was Luna's equally soft response as Harry's exhausted and pain-riddled struggled to comprehend the strange puzzles that were her everyday speech.

"Are you okay?" Harry started at the sound of Sirius's voice, the memories it dredged up so forceful that he had to squeeze his eyes shut in a desperate attempt to stop the images swirling through his mind.

"Fine." He said shortly, anger returning as he forced his thoughts back to the present. Where he was and why he was there came flooding back as Harry continued his slow and spasm-impeded attempts to make his way back to the chair.

"Are you sure of that my boy?" Harry paused, one hand on Luna's shoulder another on the seat of the chair, just as he was about to push himself up, as the familiar moniker once more forced him into the land of memories. Shaking his head sharply, which sent the world spinning Harry brutally took his painful thoughts and shoved them back into the deepest darkest corner of his mind pulling up his strongest occulemcy shields he could muster, using the pain as an added reinforcement.

"Quiet sure. Not the first time this happened probably wont be the last, thanks to you people." Harry snapped back. He knew he was being rude but he honestly couldn't bring himself to care. They had just ripped him from his home, the home he had just started rebuilding from the actual ashes. But more than that, they had stolen his friends too. Ripped them from their happy lives they had worked for for years, literally _years_ , risking their lives for the simple chance to be happy. Happiness that was something that should have been guaranteed, not even threatened, let alone something they had to fight for in the mere _hope_ of experiencing sometime during lives.

"What happened though? And how do you know that it will happen again?" That was Remus, whose endless thirst for answers, much like Sirius's temper, seemed to traverse dimensions.

"Look. I don't really feel like going through my whole life story right now or ever, honestly. I just want to get the hell home, where you so rudely stole me from. So just send me, and my friends back, and I will trade you for information that you will be very interested in. You already heard some of it. I can give you more." Harry raised blazing eyes to meet Dumbledore's gaze at last. His anger rooted him in the present as he stared across at the man he had once counted among his family. He could feel his friends shuffling beside him and could practically feel Hermione radiating disapproval at his tone but he just couldn't bring himself to care.

He was tired and heartsick and just wanted this done and over with. He had already done this and lost everything. He had nothing else to give these people and they were bloody idiots if they thought that he would give them anything even if he could.

This, for once, was not his problem. For once in his life he was given the luxury of a choice and he was more than happy to back out. Whether that made him a coward or a traitor or a selfish bigot he didn't really care. He was done fighting for adults who were too lazy to get off their arses to change anything. He was done making the changes that people deemed necessary but not important enough to actually create. He was just done.

Sure, people said that they couldn't do anything. That they didn't have the power to make a difference. But then they looked to him as if he did. Just because of something his mother did when he was a baby, something that he had vague nightmares about if he recalled anything at all, people placed on a pedestal above 'mere mortals' as if he were a different species of some kind. They were so certain that he had special powers, that he was the answer to their prayers for help, that no one cared who they were even looking at.

It didn't matter to them that he had gotten his wand 6 months prior. It didn't matter that he was a first year whose biggest problems were supposed to be passing the next potions test. All that mattered was that he should have been able to fight Voldemort. For he was the 'chosen one' and therefore could not fail. And when he didn't die at the end of that first year, by some lucky miracle of fate, it was counted as a victory by everyone else.

Never mind that he was bedridden for several days, not to mention to mention the night terrors that still woke him screaming in the middle of night. Never mind it was sheer luck and the power of his friends that carried him through the chessboard, logic quizzes, and other challenges to reach the final confrontation. Never mind the fact it had little to do with his own strength or skill and more to do with Voldemort's short-comings and his mother's power. None of that mattered. No. He was the 'boy-who-lived' and so it was his responsibility to fix the bloody world. Well, not anymore. Not here. Not now.

He would go home, back to his cabin in the middle of nowhere and hide for the rest of time. He would retreat and be safe from the stupid world and all it's problems. Hiding where no spotlights could reach him and no one could ask him for 'help' ever again. He was out. He was gone as far the public was concerned and he was willing to work make sure it stayed that way.

"I am afraid that is not possible." Dumbledore lowered his gaze and Harry felt Neville stiffen beside him.

"Just what is not possible?" Harry asked, his voice dripping with venom and silent threats. Everyone shifted uncomfortably at his tone and avoided his gaze but no one, not even Hermione, called him on it.

"We cannot send you home. It was an oath of sorts that brought you here, and here you must stay until is fulfilled."

Harry stilled as much as his overwrought body would allow, as his tormented brain struggled to figure out what Dumbledore's statement meant.

"So you mean to say that until I do what you bloody idiots asked of me, as in kill old Moldyshorts the greatest dark wizard to ever exist, someone even you, Albus Dumbledore, the Merlin incarnate, cannot hope to fight. Unless I do all that I can't go home?" Harry stated each word slowly and clearly, feeling anger at the injustice of it all swell up inside of him. The fire beside him began to crackle and spit angrily, as a breeze slowly swelled within the room. At Dumbledore's slight nod of affirmation the breeze picked up and Harry felt himself forced to his trembling legs by the strength of his anger.

This could not be happening. Forget being able to see the people he had lost, this wasn't fair. If was just him, he could understand. His life was ruined from before he was born. But to trap his friends here with him was plain wrong. And he. Would. Not. Stand. For. It. Not again. Not after allowing them to suffer and sacrifice so much the last time. Not after he already asked them to give up their lives once. He would not allow it to happen again.

The power of his emotions was so strong he was creating a mild natural disaster within the room, the wind whipping the papers that had been laying on the far end of the table around the room, hitting several people in the face, something that would have likely elicited a snort of amusement from Harry, had he been in a different frame of mind.

"Harry, you've got to calm down." Neville gently touched Harry's arm, pulling him from his raging thoughts. But he couldn't find the will power to halt his emotions. Why should he? They were well justified and so what if his control slipped a little? Just once he wanted to be able to let go. But no. He could never lose control because he was 'The Harry Potter.' Harry thought his own name with disgust, as if it were a bad word before he took a deep breath and begin the difficult process of crushing his emotions. The anger that had so quickly caught fire beneath his breast fought and bucked as he tried to douse it flames, fighting valiantly as he tried to regain his composure.

Slowly the wind died down until the air was still once more, the fire dying until little more than embers casting flicker shadows across those sitting closest to its light. Harry lowering his quacking body back into his chair.

"So there is no way to send us home?" That was Ron, his voice filled with contempt, making Harry's heart want to break into two and tested his the strength of his newfound control. It was all his fault that his friends were here. Well, his own fault and then these idiots. Brutally squashing the urge to scream at the those sitting around him until they understood what they had done, Harry instead settled for a fierce glare he leveled at anyone who dared to look his way.

"There may be a way, but as of right now, no, we do not know how to return you to your home dimension." Silence met his admission as the teens slumped back against their chairs in defeat, as if someone had cut the strings that held them upright all at once. No one dared move, waiting to see how the newcomers would take the news that they were essentially trapped here until they completed an impossible task.

"Battles won, battles lost, battle yet to be won, battle yet to be lost. Ticking away, drawing ever closer." Luna's sing-song voice seeped into the otherwise silent room, jolting Harry back to the information he had found out.

"You're right Luna." He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair in an expression of exhaustion, doing his best to still the trembling appendage. The remnants of the cruciatus from his time in Voldemort's place did not want to go away easily, and he could feel a deep ache begin set into his bones, foretelling of long term illness and pain unless some action was taken. Pushing the thought away, Harry turned back to the more pressing matters at hand. "'Mione, how much longer do he have?"

Consulting her watch Hermione responded "About an hour and 45 minutes." Giving a curt nod to show he understood, Harry turned to face the assembled crowd.

"Look," he began until his voice cracked and then refused to make any further sound. Harry opened and closed his mouth a couple times, trying to cough some moisture back onto his tongue, but it didn't make a difference. Dimension travel combined with traipsing through Voldemort's mind had pushed his body beyond what it could handle.

Seeing his friends distress, Ron conjured up a glass of water and handed it to Harry before taking over the explanation, granting Harry a brief reprieve.

"Harry's got information on where old nose-less is going to attack next. He's going to hit Diagon Alley focusing on the statue in the middle of the alley, using a explosion at but first, but bringing along 47 death eaters to make sure there are maximum causalities. I know you don't know us and I'm pretty sure it's safe to say we are not friends, but we cannot stand by and let these people get hurt when we can stop it. So, we are going to go to the Alley. Come with us or don't, it doesn't effect our actions. However, it would say a hell a lot about your guy's whole mission if you were to ignore this chance to save countless lives." The last comment was added with something akin to a sneer on Ron's face, displaying his disgust with the Order and their actions with the room around him. "Is Moldywart himself going to join into the fun?" Ron asked, turning back to face Harry once more.

"No." Harry answered it a hoarse, but audible tone. "But we should get there soon. If we get there early enough we might catch them before they set up, avoid the fight altogether." Harry pushed himself to his feet, using the table as support.

"Harry, are you should you be going? You know the Cruciatus takes a lot out of you." Harry dismissed Neville's concern with a wave of his hand, beginning to shuffle towards the fire place instead.

"I assume the Leaky Cauldron still exists here?" Harry asked, turning his attention away from his worried friends to the member of the Order of the Phoenix who still had not said anything sense they had announced the attack.

"Cruciatus?" That was Sirius, his face pale, his voice rather chocked.

"Yeah. My wards were mostly down so I took it rather harder than I normally do. But there is stuff to be done and time's a wasting as they say so if we could move on please?"

"How could you be be under the Cruciatus?" That was Remus, again asking the scholarly questions.

Huffing in impatience, Harry paused in his trek towards the fire place. "Look. You have questions, I have answers, but right now there are more important things that your curiosity. Basically, we don't really know how I could be under the Cruciatus, but it is something of a special talent of mind, to find new ways to suffer that were previously though to be impossible. Now, if you wouldn't mind? I would hate to be late for my shopping trip with death eaters. I myself find themselves to be terribly impatient." Barely taking time to register the shocked faces of the members of the Order at his sarcastic outburst and his friends own looks of resignation, long use to his unique way of explaining things, Harry took a handful of floo power before saying clearly,

"Leaky Cauldron."


	4. Chapter 4: A Fight

**Chapter 4:**

 **A/N:** Hello again! I apologize for the late (and terrible) update. I know that it really isn't any excuse but life (aka school) has been really crazy. Combine that with a severe case of writer's block and here we are. Good news is summer is coming up so hopefully I will be able to keep my updates a little more frequent and regular. Thank you all so much for your amazing comments and feedback. As always, let me know what you all are thinking (good and bad) and ask any questions you may have.

Also, I find myself in need of a beta, so that no more chapters come out looking like this one. I struggled and struggled with this chapter and still couldn't seem to get right, and so just decided to post it. I am sorry. But if anyone would like to help me with this story, that would be amazing. Simply send me a message and we can talk!

Thank you guys again for all your support and sorry for the long note!

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Harry stumbled from the from the fire place, landing heavily on his knees as his head missed a nearby table by inches. _Just once. I would like to land on my feet just once_. Harry thought irritably. _Was it really to much to ask? I defeated the darkest wizard in history but I can't land when flooing, something most_ children _can do._ Shuffling out of the way to allow his friends through, Harry took the time to haul himself to his feet and look around.

Pushing his disparaging thoughts from his mind with a force of will, Harry thought back, trying to recall if he had ever seen his version of the Leaky Cauldron looking this dilapidated. The chairs were well worn and everything was in need a new dusting. There was no sign of the usual figures that tended to hang out there and the tables looked forlorn without their normal occupants.

In fact, the only person Harry saw was the old barkeep, Tom, who was lazily wiping down the bar with an old rag. If Harry hadn't seen Tom, he might have though he had gotten out at the wrong grate, ending up in the Hog's Head instead of the leaky cauldron. Very little looked as he remember from his own world. Well, before the place had been destroyed that was.

Ignoring the soot on his clothes as it was conveniently hidden among older, more colorful stains, Harry began to weave his way through the empty tables until he reached the door at the opposite side of the tavern, where he leaned against the open frame to wait for his friends.

It took a fair amount of time for the flames to flare green again, the fire growing to expel Ron, who stepped out with a grace that Harry could only dream of achieving. Harry watched as Ron rolled out of the way to make room for the others who were already stepping through the fireplace, landing with more grace than even Ron had. Even Moody, with his peg leg landed with barely a sound, already balanced and moving the moment his feet touched down.

As Harry continued to grumble about the injustices in the universe, Ron began to make his way over to where Harry stood, as Hermione, Neville, Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore, Tonks, Moody and few more made their way out of the fireplace and farther into the run down bar.

Tom did not say anything, his hollowed eyes simply watching the new comers with a wariness that should not be present in a host's eyes. It made Harry's heart clench to see the old man, who had once had a smile for everyone, including a certain terrified eleven year old boy, become scared of his own potential costumers, choosing to hide from perspective business rather than risk drawing attention to himself. Even Dumbledore was no longer approachable. _Just how bad was this world?_ Harry wondered as he tracked Hermione's progress to where he stood.

"Sorry we took so long." She said when she had reached where he and Ron were waiting. "It took a while to convince them we were not going to kill them all and were not totally insane. Even so I'm pretty sure they only came to make sure we didn't do anything to hurt anyone, or ourselves."

Harry nodded absently, mind already on the upcoming battle. He trusted Hermione and the others to not have given any more information than needed.

"So, what's the plan?" Neville approached the small group of dimension travelers, the rest of the wizards trailing behind him.

"Same as usual," was Harry's absent reply, trying once more to repress the memories and guilt that surfaced at the sight of those he had watched die standing in front of him. Harry was sure that if this kept going as it was, his nerves would be frayed beyond all recognition by the end of the week, driving him insane if it didn't straight up kill him and end up doing what hours of torture, 117 assassination attempts and several very determined reporters as well as a dark lord had failed to do time and time again.

"And just what would that be?" Sirius asked, his bright blues eyes boring into Harry's, who found himself quiet unable to speak under the power of that suspicious gaze.

"Um…." _Very articulate Harry,_ he scolded himself. _Get it together. This is nothing compared to a hundred demontors. Just open you mouth and spit out the plan. You can do this._ Harry's pep talk, despite it's stern tone, did nothing to help his verbal skills and so he was left gaping at Sirius, doing a rather accurate impression of a goldfish.

Once more coming to his friends rescue, Ron stepped in and answered the question for him.

"It's simple really. Harry will be the focus, being loud and obnoxious, so basically his usual, attention seeking-self."

Here Harry gathered his wits enough to elbow his friend in the side before Ron continued on.

"Hermione will be to the right, hidden under a concealment charm while I will go up to a high place, probably a roof and watch the battle from above, looking at the larger picture if you will. Neville will cover Harry's other side, in this case the left, also under concealment charms. You guys will be spilt up, and invisible. Your job will basically be to help when ?" Harry watched the Order's reaction to their plan and saw a mass of befuddled stares.

"But how do will avoid hitting someone accidentally if we can't see one another?" Tonks addressed her question to Ron but it was Neville who responded.

"It's quiet simple really. You cast a spell on yourself, a simply notice me not, with a modification that allows you to 'exempt' people from the spell. This is done using a potion that Hermione and I created, with a little help from Luna as well. You just smear a streak on your forehead and 'end points' such as your hands and shoes, it creates a rough glowing outline that is can only be seen by chosen people."

"If you each put a couple hairs in here?" Hermione asked, stepping forward and holding out a small cauldron containing a faintly bubbling potion. Harry fought a smirk as he saw Sirius crinkle his nose in distaste when he caught sight of the potion. It tasted even worse than it looked and that was saying something.

"If you don't mind me asking but how did you create this?" Dumbledore examined the contents of the cauldron as he dropped a few of his long, silvery hairs into the mix, causing the concoction to hiss and spit, acquiring a grey tint to its previous murky brown.

"It was simple really-" Turning away from the increasingly academic discussion, Harry strode into the alley and began to look around, thinking though the attack. He knew this attack strategy by heart by this point, but he still liked to go over it one more time so that if something were to go wrong he had a back up ready. Just one more way Hermione had rubbed off on him.

"How much longer?" Harry asked absently, striding back over to the group.

"About 10 minutes."

"Concealments on then. Let's go." Turning on his heel, Harry tapped the familiar pattern on the bricks to reveal the archway that led to the alley, fighting the wave of nostalgia that overcame him. He had such amazing memories linked with the harsh sounds of the bricks sliding into the welcoming arch of Diagon Alley. He could still remember the sent of awe that overcame when he saw the flashing storefronts filled with magical items.

Dragging his thoughts back to the present, Harry took in the area as it stood now while he waited for the others to spread out around him. Glancing around to make sure everyone was ready, Harry strode over to the fountain, attempting to work the tremors from his frame.

Consciously relaxing his posture, Harry pulled out his wand and lazily twirled it between his fingers, trying to appear calm and casual. His eyes never stopped moving though, noticing the many differences in this Alley and the one in his own world. Here, there were no flashing store fronts. No bustling customers. In fact, Harry noted only a handful of people, all of whom had hoods drawn over to the faces and hurried movements as they scurried from store to store, clinging to the shadows.

It seemed wrong on an almost fundamental level to Harry. This was not the way it was supposed to be. The war was over. It was done. But it wasn't here. The thought crashed through his mind with the weight of an anvil and he had to struggle to keep his relaxed posture. Sure, he had realized that the war was still going on here, he had been in old snake face's mind after all, but it hadn't sunk in yet. Seeing the evidence, the damage wrecked across society laid out before him in such stark terms knocked the wind from his chest. He would have to do it again. He didn't know if he _could_ do it again.

Before his thoughts could spiral any father, Harry caught sight of what he had been waiting for. Someone was approaching the fountain lacking the terrified feel the rest of shoppers seemed to exude.

Harry waited for the man to draw a little closer before pushing off of the fountain and taking a swig from a bottle of whiskey he conjured.

"Hey, hey, hey!" He mumbled, bringing a drunken sway to his stance, plastering a senseless grin across his cheeks. "Johnson! Wha yer doin here? I's a thoughts this was mines jobs." Harry stumbled his way over to the robbed figure, slinging an arm around the man's shoulders and leaning heavily on him.

Letting loose a slightly manic giggle, Harry pulled off the man's hood to expose his highly uncomfortable looking features. _So it was Johnson. I thought I recognized that limp._ Fighting a smirk at the death eater's distress, Harry began pushing the man away from the fountain, straight into another hooded form that had drawn closer.

"Ha's you've- you've broughteded another friends!" Harry exclaimed happily, taking another swig of his whiskey, making sure to slosh some on the newest figure's crisp robes, much to the man's displeasure.

"What's going on here?" The new man asked in hard voice, clipped with frustration.

"Here's? Nothin. Nuttin. Nuthin. Nu-uh. Nope." Harry raised his hand to his mouth as if to muffle his chuckles and ended up socking the nearest death eater in the face. Goyle deserved it.

"Hey!" Goyle exclaimed grasping Harry's arm and yanking.

"Ow! Mate watchya hurting me fore?" Harry asked, bringing more force to his words as he drew back from the men although careful to keep the sway in his body. It was frighteningly easy with the tremors still effecting him every so often and Harry dreaded how long it would take for him to recover from this. Harry ducked a wild punch from the Goyle, who had a rapidly purpling bruise already spreading across his jaw. Goyle himself seemed a little unsteady on his feet and Harry fought a grin. He must have hit him harder than he thought.

"Enough!" Snarled the Johnson, shoving smaller man out of his way as he stomped over to the fountain. Just as he reached into his pocket to pull out his wand, no doubt to signal the start of the attack Harry dropped his drunken act, clobbering the man closest to him into unconsciousness with whiskey bottle with viscous accuracy. Using his momentum to carry him forward towards the Goyle, Harry pulled his wand and sent a silent stunning spell.

Hardly pausing to register the soft 'thump' that signaled the man was down for the count, Harry twisted and ducked the spells already coursing his way from the other forms that suddenly emerged from the shadows. Harry barely noticed the others join in the fight as he allowed his instincts and training to overtake. He felt his body fall into the familiar rhythm of battle and despite his peril, his thoughts calmed for the first time since he had awoken in the Order meeting.

In a fight there was no time for feeling. No time for fear. No time for panic or pain. That was one how died. It had been drilled into his head over and over until it had become something akin to second nature. So Harry twisted and turned, firing spells faster than many others could follow let alone block or battle and death eaters dropped like flies around him.

Steadily making his way through the hoards, Harry watched his companions from the corner of his eye, marking their positions and possible threats to them, even as he continued with his own fights. Just becuase they didn't trust him and were stupid gits didn't mean he wouldn't do everything he could to protect. No one should have to die before their time. No one. Even the spells he doled out were not lethal and neither were the spells his friends used. They had all seen enough death to not feel the need to create any more.

The death eaters however, suffered no such restrictions and the alley flashed with green light whenever one of the masked figures was able to get a clear shot. No longer having the protection of Voldemort's hatred to save him from being killed by one of Voldemort's minion Harry found himself dodging several killing curses, much to his surprise at first. It hadn't even occurred to him that they would try to kill him. Not that it bothered him overly much, it was just a new color added to many jets of light flying before his eyes but he found himself startled nonetheless. He was so used to Voldemort wanting to save him for himself that Harry had never realized how much protection that had given him in battle; how much it had limited the death eaters.

No such restrictions existed now as Harry danced his way through the web of spells that was being created. Several lesser curses landed but Harry pushed the pain to the back of his mind, convincing himself that it's presence was no more important than a fly buzzing around his ear. It worked. Sort of.

He could hear Ron through the modified extendable ear the twins had made that allowed them to communicate over long distances, describing areas that needed more support or where death eaters were trying to involve the innocent bystanders trapped within the surrounding stores. Ron provided the strategy and plan of the big picture while Harry was his tool to bring his plan to fruition. And so he ran from point to point, as Ron continued to describe the areas that needed more help, his wand nothing more than a blur in the air.

Harry did not know how long the battle lasted. His world consisted of nothing more than the current moment, and what needed to be done to allow him to live into the next moment. Whether it was duck, twist, shield, it took all of his concentration and control. But exhaustion began to drag on his limbs and he could see several of his own side began to stagger, either from pain or weariness Harry couldn't tell.

And then it was done. Not one more figure moved in the alley. Harry ran a weary hand through his sweat soaked hair, looking around to make sure everyone was okay. Dumbledore looked weary but did not appear to be hurt. Tonks was sporting what looked like a sprained wrist but was already being attended to by Remus who seemed fine besides a small gash that cut through the sleeve of his navy robes.

Sirius was walking towards Dumbledore, limping but apparently not in any life-threatening danger. Ron he knew was okay, he could hear him on the coms, still talking. Hermione he could see beside Neville, her hair messier than usual and singed in a few places but otherwise she seemed to be fine. She was busy healing a long gash that stretched nearly all the way down Neville's arm in a way that had Harry wincing in sympathy.

The knowledge that his friends that were safe seemed to sap the lingering energy from his body and Harry found himself sitting, rather abruptly, on the edge of the fountain that was conveniently next to him. Closing his eyes Harry took a moment to try and push back the pain that was once more trying to swamp his brain. _Not too much longer._ He told himself. _Not too much longer than you can crash. Just don't do it quiet yet. Let Hermione set up nice strong wards and have Ron find a nice warm bed. Maybe Neville could even find one of the plants that adjusted the temperature of the room to be perfect…_

"You okay?"

Harry jumped as he opened his eyes to see Remus's concerned face swimming inches from his own. Nodding his head on reflex Harry winced as the movement sent the world bucking around him and a wave of nausea rose from within his stomach.

"Harry?" Remus asked, gently touching Harry's shoulder.

Later, Harry would know he had overreacted. He would know it seconds after he did it. But having someone touching him, something that did not occur even under normal circumstances, so soon after battle, was too much for his frayed nerves. He had thrown Remus over his shoulder and had him pinned to the ground, and was seconds away from stunning him, into oblivion before Neville's call jerked him back to reality.

"Sorry." Harry stepped back, sheepishly rubbing his neck. He felt his cheeks burn as he took in the crowd that had surrounding them, no doubt drawn by his sudden movements. "I reacted on instinct. I apologize."

Remus simply lay winded on the cobblestone path, staring up at him. An awkward silence descended as those around him continued to stare, shocked by his reaction to such a simply thing.

"You're bleeding!" Tonks called suddenly, shocked by the growing stains on his worn clothes.

Harry just nodded blearily, swaying slightly where he stood. He could feel the wetness soaking his robes but was having difficulties summoning up the energy to care. His eyelids felt like there were weights attached but he gritted his teeth and forced them open. He could not relax yet. Ignoring the concerned stare of Hermione, who was beginning to reach towards him, Harry looked around him and considered what needed to be done next.

"Let's get out of here. I'll get treatment back when we are safe. Back at headquarters." Harry shuffled forward, leading the group back over to the fireplace where he raised a shaky hand for some floo powder and sent himself back to headquarters, bracing himself for the ungraceful exit he knew would occur.


	5. Chapter 5: Questions

Sirius followed Harry through the flames, more than a little wary of the child. He was just so… there wasn't even a word to describe it.

Sirius loved his godson to bits, and prided himself on the fact that he knew the kid better than in his own parents in many ways. He was the cool "parent" that the boy turned to when he needed advice he didn't feel comfortable getting from either James or Lily.

And the man that had just thrown Remus to the ground at a slight touch was not the same boy that, just last week, had cried in the middle of some muggle movie they had watched together. It simply wasn't possible. Whoever the child was, he was not the Harry Potter he knew and loved, and so Sirius forced himself to be wary.

But despite his misgivings, Sirius did not believe this Harry to be evil. The boy fought for the light, and certainly showed no reservations when attacking the death eaters, a fact that went a long to assuage his fears.

But Merlin help them all if he was, or ever chose to become evil.

Sirius had watched Harry during the fighting and the way the boy moved… It was unnatural in the most graceful way possible. Sirius considered himself to be a good dueler (one of the best actually) but he looked like a first year fresh off the Hogwarts Express next to Harry.

The boy moved with a fluidity he had previously thought impossible. His wand had been a steady blur, streaking through the air, never so much as hesitating as he unleashed a steady barrage of spells. In all of his years of training, whether it was at Hogwarts, the Aurors, in the order, or any other time during his life, Sirius had never seen someone duel in the way Harry did.

It went beyond speed or grace. It was if he commanded the spells themselves; both his own and his opponents. It was as if Harry existed on some higher level where the curses could not touch him.

Distracted as he had been with his own battles, Sirius hadn't been able to watch Harry fight as closely as he would have preferred, but what he did see intrigued him greatly. It also made him certain that this Harry was nothing like the Harry he knew and loved, despite whatever the boy may claim or who he may look like.

All thoughts of fighting techniques where pushed from his mind however as he stepped out of the floo and into a puddle of some sort of liquid that had pooled on the now empty kitchen floor.

"What the-?" Sirius exclaimed, stepping out of the puddle and walking carefully around the unknown substance as his flicked his wand at the surrounding candles, trying to see what exactly he had walked into more closely. "Those damn twins…" He muttered, peering at the puddle, trying to decide what harm would befall him from this latest prank.

"I am afraid that is my fault."

Sirius jumped in shock at the voice that came from the kitchen table.

"I seem to be bleeding a little more than I had thought. I was just waiting for Hermione to come through when I noticed to puddle. Sorry."

Sirius just looked from the boy to the puddle and back again in shock, his brain unable to connect the kind of pain the child must be in, judging by the size of the puddle and easy levelness of his voice.

"Where are you hurt?" He asked, concerned in spite of his distrust of the strange child. He was not an evil man after all. No one should have to suffer unnecessarily.

Walking over to where Sirius could vaguely make out the boy's shadowed form he once more flicked his wand and awakened the candles that lined the dining room and hung from the chandelier suspended in the middle of the room. He blanched when he caught sight of the child's mangled appearance. The boy had removed his outer robes, exposing an undershirt and trousers positively soaked in blood. Sirius fought the urge to gag as he saw his arm. It was broken so severely it appeared to be at the wrong angle, curving in a way no limb should ever be able to.

"Bloody hell." Not the most articulate of responses, Sirius knew, but the words fell out of his mouth in shock. "How the hell are you still conscious?" The question was past his lips before he could think better of it and he fought back a wince of regret only with long practice. It certainly wasn't the first time he had said something tactless, but that was a little blunt even for him.

But Harry just gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, his face betraying only the slightest hint of pain and weariness.

"I've had worse." He said simply, as if that explained it all.

But it didn't.

It didn't explain anything at all. How could he just sit there, his body mangled beyond what should be physically possible, as if nothing in the world was wrong? Still gaping like a fish Sirius jumped when the floo flared and out stumbled Ron, and Neville, both of whom were quickly followed by a rather irate Hermione.

"Harry!" The young witch exclaimed and Sirius found himself forcibly pushed out of the way as the women raced to her friends side. Whipping out her wand, she began to cast spells even as she muttered vague grumblings under her breath.

"It's okay. Don't worry. Hermione will fix him up." Neville's soft voice brushed against Sirius's ear, startling his gaze from the gruesome sight before him.

"But…" Sirius trailed off, not even sure what he was asking or why he was so concerned and shocked at the boy's appearance.

Neville did not wait for him to articulate a question, instead continuing to talk after a mere moment's pause.

"He'll be fine. He's Harry." The boys said with a shrug as if that explained everything. Which it most certainly did not.

It did not explain anything, let along everything.

Sirius stood, rooted to the spot as Neville walked over to where the other two children stood huddled around their injured comrade, before taking a seat at the table.

The boys' nonchalance about the entire thing pissed Sirius off. These damn kids were acting like life threatening injures, that, by all laws of medicine, should have sent the boy into unconsciousness long before hand, were nothing. That fighting a full-out battle was just a matter of course. That suffering torture curses from mad-men not even present was as normal as studying, or setting a prank.

Determined to finally find some answers, Sirius strode back over to where the kids were still sitting. He made it all the way over to them before he realized, for all the things he wanted to know, he couldn't think of a single damn question to ask.

There were simply too many things he didn't know. Too many things he didn't understand. He didn't even know where to begin.

So he stood there, like a bloody idiot, mouth hanging open and words caught on his tongue, without a single question emerging. The children paused in their motions and Sirius instantly, and uncomfortably, found himself under the scrutiny of three intense, and one slightly bleary, gazes.

"Um, well…" Sirius began, desperately trying to gather his thoughts. "Are you alright?" He finally blurted out, unable to come up with a better question.

Harry looked up and met Sirius's gaze, and for the first time, Sirius was able to see his godson in the child that sat before him. The pain and exhaustion that pooled in his emerald eyes made the boy seem more human, more relatable, and tugged at Sirius's heart.

Not the best time to decide to care about the kid, considering his current state. And indeed, Sirius found himself unduly concerned with the answer, his own eyes filled with concern as he waited desperately for a response.

Whatever Harry's response was going to be was cut off by Hermione's brisk, and obviously still irate evaluation. "No. But he will be. Why I even bother to patch you up only for you to go and do it all over again…" She trailed off, muttering to herself, while her wand never paused in its waving.

"Ah, you know you enjoy the challenge 'Mione," came the soft response, although Harry closed his eyes as he said it, appearing to drift off.

"Oh no you don't mate." Ron stepped up and shook Harry gently but purposefully before quickly stepping away. Sirius felt his mouth fall open as Harry reacted quicker than he thought possible, and Ron barely missed being stunned by his best mate. Neither one commented on the reaction though, and Sirius was led to believe this was normal.

Really, what the pit of hell had this kid come from? First his attack of Remus, which Sirius had chalked up the adrenaline of battle, and now this. Obviously the kid had been in war for a long time to develop reflexes like those.

"Flesh sealed, heart whole?" A musical voice drifted in the room and Sirius turned to see the other dimension traveler glide into room. Luna or something was her name right?

She seem to glide more than walk over to the others, patting Harry on the head, much as one would a dog, as her gaze drifted dreamily from one member to the other.

"Hermione." She said softly, her voice as soft and light as her hair that shifted slightly as she gently swayed in place.

Okay. Sirius would admit it. She scared the crap out of him.

There was something about the way her pale eyes never seemed to focus or the way she never stopped moving or her voice or really everything about her that just seemed… Creepy. Odd. Not-right.

"Yeah?" Hermione's focus shifted to Luna for only a second before she turned her attention back to Harry, who she was still waving her wand over.

"People lost, people found, even more than when you turn around."

"Turn around?" Hermione muttered, glancing over her shoulder.

Despite himself, Sirius was impressed with her ability to multi-task, for her wand never paused even as her brow furloughed in confusion.

Her eyes raked over Sirius in obvious confusion, and Sirius found himself shifting uncomfortably at the scrutiny.

Damn these kids and their oddness. Damn them to hell and back.

"People lost, people found…" Hermione murmured.

And then all of sudden her wand stopped moving and Sirius found himself reaching towards her, worried she would faint. The color had drained from her features so abruptly Sirius felt the need to look over his own shoulder, convinced there must be some sort of monster to prompt such a reaction from the seeming unflappable girl.

Nothing was there. Just a blank stretch of wall. And yeah, the wall paper had a rather frightening layer of grime, but somehow Sirius doubted that prompted her reaction.

Thoroughly confused, Sirius opened his mouth to speak, now that he finally had a question to ask, only to be interrupted by the rush of the floo.

"Everything is cleared up," Tonks bubbly voice sounded in the room as she and Kingsley stepped from the emerald flames. "They were sent - Uck!" Sirius shut his mouth and turned around to see his cousin stumbling around the puddle of blood that still hadn't been picked up.

"Sorry about that," Harry murmured. "Ron could you…" He slurred, not even bothering to open his eyes.

With a clap on the shoulder and a wave of the red-head's wand, the blood was vanished.

""Mione," Harry slurred, only to have to repeat himself as his soft call failed to capture his friend's attention.

His friend who was starting to concern Sirius, what with her constant glancing from him to Luna and back again. It was unsettlingly to say the least.

"Hermione," Harry called again, opening his eyes and sitting up slightly from his slouched position. "Can I sleep?"

"Huh?" Hermione continued to stare before giving herself a little shake and seeming to pull herself back together. "Yeah. It looked than it was, honestly. Just a lot of blood from the gash on your side and the back of your head. You had a concussion but I fixed that."

"Thanks…" Before the word had fully left his lips, Harry's eyes were shut once more, appearing to fall asleep almost instantly.

"Is he okay?" That was Tonks again, and Sirius jumped despite himself at the proximity of her voice. He hadn't heard her cross the room. Some auror he was.

"Yeah. He'll be fine." Hermione replied, her tone far brisker than it had been when talking to Harry. "Probably sleep for days though."

Sirius frowned at the comment but was distracted by Remus's hand coming to rest on his shoulder.

"You okay?"

Sirius nodded, still trying to figure out was going on with the kids, specifically Hermione. Something had shaken her. That he knew. He just didn't know what that something was.

"If it's alright, can we put Harry in a room?"

Sirius nodded absently before his mother's training took over. "Um… Yeah, I can show you if you like."

"Nah, don't trouble yourself. Just tell us and we can find it. Spent enough time here should be able to." Ron waved him off as he went to stand beside his friend and preforming a repeat of before.

This time, the stunner hit he wall, singing the wall paper slightly with the force of the spell.

"Oh yeah right. Different world." Sirius shook his head, adding another question to ask as soon as possible. _Why the hell were kids staying here, at headquarters? What were their parents thinking?_

 _"_ Just set up in any open room."

With a nod of acknowledgment, Sirius watched as Ron helped his friend stand up and begin to shuffle up the steps. "'Night."

"'Night," Sirius replied, more out of habit than anything.

With the other kids following behind the boys, soon they were gone, disappearing from view as they climbed the twisting views.

They were gone.

They were gone and he still had no answers.

At least he had questions.

But still no answers.

Damn.


	6. Chapter 6: Too Early

A/N: Ok, I honestly don't even have an excuse to possibly explain how long this update look and can only express my sincerest gratitude for everyone who has hung around this long.

I am still looking for a beta, so anyone interested, shoot me a message. I don't bite, I promise!

Anyway, I won't make y'all wait any longer. Here is the next chapter, and always, please let know what you think — good, bad and everything in between.

Enjoy!

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Harry awoke to a silent room, disoriented and more than a little confused. He pressed a groggy hand to his head as he tried to gather his scattered thoughts.

Different dimension.

Voldemort.

Battle.

Damn.

Memories returned in quick succession, prompting the teen to muffle a groan into his pillow.

Only him.

Only him would get not only himself, but nearly everyone else that he cared about, dragged into a different dimension where they were expected to defeat one of the evilest villains ever to exist.

"Ugh!" He exclaimed, punching the bed beside him for good measure.

God damn it all.

And then, his allotment of self pity expired and he sat up, ran a hand through his hair, and began his day. Or his evening, or whatever title was appropiate for the current time of day.

Shower. His day definitely needed to begin with a shower.

Exiting the room with a habitual glance to make sure the corridor was deserted, Harry quietly made his way to the nearest bathroom and stripped before practically leaping into the shower, where he stood in blissful comfort as the searing water pounded his aching and knotted muscles.

There he remained, letting the water cascade over him with no concept of time. Only the cooling of the water prompted him to get out where he pulled back on his clothes with a grimace of distaste; freshening charms could only do so much,

Still, they were better than nothing, and it was a much more optimistic Harry that left the restroom than the one that entered, only to almost run straight into Luna.

The young girl was standing right in front of the door, her glazed eyes pointed slightly to left of Harry, her characteristic smile ghosting across her features. Her dazed expression and slight swaying used to unnerve Harry in their oddness, but they had long since become a reassuring sight that some things were still the same. Or at least the same as they had been since that first battle.

Pulling himself away from that train of thought with the harsh accuracy of long practice, Harry focused his own gaze on Luna and asked "What are you doing here Luna? Did you need something?"

"Hearts and stomachs grumble, to the kitchen we shall rumble."

"Okay then." Harry agreed with a nod, and taking Luna's arm in a gentle grasp to prevent her from accidentally wandering off, began the long - and potentially hazardous - trek to the kitchens.

As they descended, Harry looked around with interest, comparing this house with his own version back in his own world with far more enthusiasm than he had been able to muster previously. Without the presence of so many people that he had seen die, his heart felt much lighter, and he was at last able to enjoy some of the more academic opportunities that the dimension hopping afforded him.

Just thinking of the texts that had been lost in his own world that might still be intact here… He wasn't even that huge of a scholar and it had him feeling something akin to weak in the knees and Harry made a mental note to check in with Hermione at the next opportunity. There was no doubt in his mind that the witch had already begun to process of tracking down some of the more notable and important books.

Harry's steps slowed as he neared the kitchen and he heard the soft timbre of voices floating through the open door. In the spirit of long habit, Harry gently untangled his grasp from Luna's and cautiously padded his way to entrance, wand drawn, curses ready on his lips.

Only to have Luna sail right past him, a bright smile and jubilant melody easily casting aside all that Harry's stealth had intended to accomplish.

If Harry didn't love Luna he probably would have hit her.

As it was, he fought valiantly against the urge to hex the blonde, his hand stayed only by the knowledge that entrances such as those were part of made Luna, Luna and if he were to take that away… Well, it just would make things wrong. It would make _him_ wrong.

And so with yet another weary sigh that he was already heartily sick of expressing, Harry trailed after Luna into the crowd of people. His wand stayed ready in his hand though, and his eyes remained alert, immediately taking in those around him.

He loved Luna, his sister in all but blood, but he did not trust her not to walk headfirst into danger without even realizing it. He had even seen her do it.

In some ways it was terrifying, the way she could march straight through a battle without nary a blink or a flicker in her serene expression.

Terrifying and dangerous.

So Harry followed and assessed.

And then stopped following, as he struggled to assess. His brain stuttered to grinding halt as he tried to figure out what the bloody hell was going on.

"What the-"

No.

Nope.

No bloody way.

It was too early.

He hadn't had his coffee yet.

Nope. He was not doing this.

He was not talking to himself.

It was not going to happen.

Harry turned on his heel and left right then and there, not caring that his alternate dimension self was left at the table, more than a little confused and probably slightly offended if the expression of his face was anything to go by.

Harry could understand the other boy's confusion, could sympathize with it really, but it didn't slow his steps in the slightest. He just continued to march out of the room, up the stairs and back to his bedroom, all the while cursing Luna under his breath.

"Hearts and stomachs grumble my ass…"

And then his day was completed as he walked full force into none other than his alternate dimensional godfather. A man who seemed far too concerned with Harry than could possibly be healthy for Harry's emotional state.

"I apologize Mr. Black."

There. That was formal, straight to the point, respectful. It was also nothing like he would talk to his Sirius. Becuase this was not his godfather. It wasn't. It wasn't. It wasn-

"Please. It's Sirius. Mr. Black makes me sound like a old man."

Damn. Damn. Damn. He sounded just like his Sirius and Harry was sure if he were able to muster the strength to look up, the man would look just like his Sirius's, those clear blue eyes dancing an invite to share in his mirth.

Really, what the bloody hell did he do to piss off the fates so badly that they felt the need to put him in this situation? Trapped between the living promise of everything that should've been and never could be both in the form of himself, raised in the life he had always wanted, and by the man that should have raised him. A rock and hard place in terms of the hazards to his heart, each one uniquely capable of pounding it to dust with in their own special way.

What the bloody hell did he do?

"You ok kid?"

No.

Nope.

No bloody way.

It was too early.

He hadn't had his coffee yet.

Nope. He was not doing this.

He was not talking to his dead godfather.

It was not going to happen.

And so as abruptly as he had left the kitchen moments before, Harry once more turned on his heel, marching down the stairs he had just stormed up only the make a sharp left away from the kitchen and into the room Harry knew only as the "tapestry room."

A rather apt name in his humble opinion, called so due to the age worn family tree that was plastered against the long side of the room, the branches twisting and twining as it depicted the complicated bloodlines of the Noble House of Black. It also conveniently provided a soft backrest as Harry sunk to floor, his head cradled on his knees.

"Kid?"

Bloody hell. Why? Why did nothing ever go his way?

It was too early for this.

"You sure you're all right?"

Harry didn't bother to look up, even at the second question, refusing to acknowledge the man's presence in the hopes that maybe he might take the hint and leave.

A desperate hope that was crushed as he heard footsteps coming closer, heralding Sirius's apparently inevitable approach.

"I'm fine." Harry forced the words through clenched teeth as he raised his burning gaze to meet that horribly familiar gaze. It was like interacting with someone under polyjuice yet so much worse. Becuase a part of Harry knew that this was his godfather, or at least a version of him.

A living, breathing version of the godfather that wasn't his and could never be.

Bloody hell he hated his life.

"No offense, but you aren't looking so hot."

"You're one to judge," Harry snapped, his voice filled with rage that was as much grief as it was anger, as he desperately tried to get the man to go away.

It was too early for this.

But it seemed his godfather was stubborn in all dimensions for his comment didn't even make the man break stride and Harry could only watch with a vague sense of despair as he slide down the wall until he was resting beside Harry.

Not touching, but close. Too close. Harry could actually feel himself start to vibrate with the tension.

Why did this crap always happen to him?

"Look, I just wanted to ask…"

"Harry?"

Harry had never been so happy to here Hermione's snapping tone as he was in that moment.

Before Sirius's mouth had so much as clicked shut, Harry was up and moving, grateful for the escape Hermione's call offered.

Or at least he was grateful until he realized her call came from the kitchen.

"Wait, kid!"

Shit.

Why did this universe seem out to get him? Honestly, a conversation with his godfather he had seen murdered before his eyes, or eating breakfast with his alter-dimensional self. Those were the choices he was left with apparently.

A glance over his shoulder showed Sirius heading towards him and Harry made his decision.

Himself he could handle. A living Sirius on the other hand…

So into the kitchen he strode, trying to arrange his features into a more casual expression than the resigned despair that was working its way through his body.

"You called?" He said as he poked his head through the doorway. Maybe he could just check in with Hermione and then leave, handily avoiding both terrible situations.

But alas- as always- luck was against him.

For Hermione stood near the stove, and from the second he began to speak, she was been glaring at him. And then she pointed to the table where a serving of breakfast worthy of Molly Weasley herself sat, apparently waiting for him, one eyebrow raised as if daring him to turn up the food.

Unable to go against the combined wishes of his best friend and his stomach, Harry sulked over the table where he sat down with a distinct lack of grace.

He would eat, but he wouldn't enjoy it. Couldn't enjoy it. Not with himself staring at him like that.

Honestly. Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes at the shocked expression currently plastered across the other Harry's face as he picked up his fork and began to eat, trying to ignore the looks he could feel the other Harry giving him.

He tried. He really did.

Only his other self would not stop staring.

He just continued to sit there, watching.

Looking.

 _Staring._

Harry honestly did his best to keep his head down, to keep his attention on his food. After all, it wasn't like stares were anything new. But there was just something wrong when you can feel _yourself_ staring at you.

Something that was distinctly creepy.

Something that was definitely not good for his appetite.

"Would you just stop that? Don't you know what your own face looks like?" Harry snapped, unable to take it any longer.

So much for his good mood.

Harry could actually hear the other Harry's teeth clack together, he shut his mouth so fast.

At least he turned away.

And than Sirius entered, already asking a question and Harry had to resist the urge to bang his head on the table.

Honestly, couldn't a bloke just enjoy some breakfast in peace?

"Look, kid, what do you have against answering a single bloody question?"

Harry gave into temptation and rested his forehead on the worn grain of the table as his godfa- as Sirius collapsed into a chair beside him.

"I'm not asking for your darkest secrets here, I just want to get to know you. I just want to figure out what the hell happened in your own world that made you so goddamn different from my godson!"

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Harry's head beat a steady rhythm against the table in the silence that had fallen in the wake of Sirius's tirade.

Thump.

Thu-

Hermione's hand rested on his forehead halting him mid-thump, her brown eyes holding a rebuke and Harry found himself blushing even as he sent his friend a sheepish grin in repentance.

OK, so perhaps that hadn't been the most mature of responses, but it wasn't as if there was a guidebook for this kind of situation. _How to interact with dead alter-dimensional family members…_

Suppressing a snort, Harry refocused on the present and as he took in the expectant expressions around him found himself sighing; again.

Really, it was too early for this.

And yet here he was, staring into a far too lively gaze of someone he himself had made funeral arrangement for.

What the bloody hell did he do deserve this?

"Well?" Sirius prompted impatiently, his body aquiver with the child-like energy Harry remembered so well from his own world.

That same child-like energy that had gotten him killed.

Creepy or painful, those were the options left to him as Harry glanced around the kitchen.

His alter-dimensional self or his dead godfather. A terrible set of choices to be sure.

And so Harry gave in to the anticipatory expressions mirrored on both of the men's faces. Might as well get this over with. Maybe he would actually be able to finish his breakfast eventually.

"Well what?" Harry asked, resignation weighing down his words as they dripped reluctantly from his lips.

"Well, what was your world like? Was I your godfather too? What house are you in? Do you play Quidditch? How did you learn to fight like that?"

The questions poured from Sirius with the air of a dam breaking, the words tripping over each other as they rushed to be heard.

Too many questions and all at once Harry found himself overwhelmed, too exhausted and simply too done to muster the strength to answer.

And still, Sirius was sitting there, literally squirming in his chair, the other Harry not any more restrained as he once more returned to his favorite pastime staring, awaiting an answer; an explanation.

Honestly, all he wanted to do was finished breakfast. Was that really too much to ask?

Harry's forehead made contact with the table once again with an altogether too satisfying thump.

Screw maturity.

It was too early for this.


End file.
